


Home With The Humans

by son_of_a_bitch_spn_family



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Canon Compliant, Dean doesnt want her until he does, Feel-good, Fluff, M/M, Puppies, TFW get a dog by accident, accurate depictions of excitable puppies, also Dean takes Cas on The Worst Date There Ever Was, because he is bad at wooing, cuddling with puppies, just like a huge pickmeup fic, pls let Sam have a dog jfc, sam is the best
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-27
Updated: 2019-02-27
Packaged: 2019-11-06 10:45:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17938331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/son_of_a_bitch_spn_family/pseuds/son_of_a_bitch_spn_family
Summary: Dean finds an abandoned dog in the middle of a storm and he doesn't have it in him to leave her behind, but he is definitely going to take her to a shelter... eventually.Everything that happens is her fault, as far as he is concerned. But Dean learns that isn't always such a bad thing.





	Home With The Humans

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly, I was in a bit of a writing slump; washed out on angst and smut (wild, I know) and had to take a bit of a break, so this happened. 
> 
> I just really think the boys deserve a puppy, okay? Fight me.

It was one of those dreadful days that _everyone_ hated. Rain poured continuously and blanketed everything while wind whipped around harshly, sending random objects flying. It wasn't quite a hurricane, but it was close.

 

 _Of course,_ Dean would just happen to need some specific tools at that very time. So, he had no choice but to go out in the rain, squinting and gripping the steering wheel tightly; he bitched about it every mile.

 

A pipe in the Bunker's bathroom had busted, and they needed a specific type of bolt to fix it. There was an indecisive moment as thunder crackled outside that Sam, Dean, and Cas all looked at each other warily. Thunder crackled again, and Dean was left staring at an empty room as Sam and Cas _suddenly_ had things to do. Dean had grimly picked up his keys and braved the chaotic storm.

 

Relief exploded from Dean in a form of a deep exhale as he pulled into a parking spot at the local Home Depot. He quickly cut off Baby and took a moment to enjoy his last moment of dryness before bolting into the store.

 

“Fuck,” Dean hissed as he eased in the door.

 

He was absolutely sopping and he scowled as his shoes squelched with every step. Of course, it took him nearly twenty minutes to find the bolt he'd been looking for, and by the time he went through the checkout line, his socks were thoroughly drenched.

 

Yeah, Dean wasn't having a good day.

 

It only got worse as he took a step outside and prepared to run, only to be halted by a yipping sound and something bumping into his leg. He frowned and immediately looked down, raising a hand to shield his face from the rain.

 

A puppy with perked ears, light grey fur, and eyes sadder than a man in love stared up at him, whimpering from the leash it was tied to. Dean looked around for an owner and cursed quietly when he caught sight of a sign instead.

 

It read: _Free Puppy_

 

That was it.

 

Dean stared down at the drenched dog, who stared back, and he pressed his lips together. Absolutely not. _No._ He was not bringing a damn dog into the bunker, especially not with how he'd told Sam and Cas no multiple times. He didn't even _like_ pets; hell, he was allergic to most long-haired animals.

 

Dean shook his head and ran to the car before he could think twice. He tumbled into the driver side and slammed the door, sighing heavily and wiping any water from himself that he could. He paused and glanced back towards the dog. It sat pathetically in the rain, getting drenched.

 

“Don't do it,” Dean warned himself quietly.

 

He got as far as backing out and creeping up the aisle before the guilt became too much. Dean pulled the car up by the dog and cursed as he ducked back into the rain. He didn't wait for the dog to come to him; he just unclipped the leash and picked the dog up, basically throwing it in the seat, leash and all.

 

“You better not piss in my car,” Dean snapped as he slammed the door behind him.

 

At a glance, the dog didn't appear to care what Dean was saying. It just sort of sat there, shivering and looking utterly pathetic.

 

“Okay,” Dean said, his voice getting softer as he turned to the dog, “you a boy or a girl?”

 

Dean lifted its leg and it went from an 'it’ to a 'she’ in his mind. Before he could stop himself, he let his hand pet her head. All he got for his trouble was a low whine and the dog shuffling close and laying down with her head on his leg.

 

Which, it wasn't cute at all. It _wasn't._

 

“Alright, fine. Let's ride this storm out in some shelter,” Dean murmured and headed home.

  


* * *

 

 

The garage was empty and cold, and Dean was never so grateful for it before. He sighed heavily as shut off Baby and looked down at the puppy in his lap. He pursed his lips and looked around. Fuck, he was going to catch _so_ much hell.

 

Dean huffed as he lifted the puppy in one arm, letting her settle lumpy on his side. “Well, let's go.”

 

Even though he knew it was useless, Dean still tried to sneak the puppy into the bunker. He carried her like a sack of potatoes and quietly made his way into the kitchen. She was quiet and stiff in his arms, and he sat her down as he puttered around, grabbing a bowl for him to fill up with water for her.

 

“Dean.”

 

Dean sighed again as he filled the bowl up with cool water, not turning around. That would be Sam, sounding somewhere between excited and shocked. Dean put it off for as long as he could, but he finally turned around to set the bowl down for the dog. Sam was staring at the dog with wide eyes, big hands trembling with childish excitement.

 

“We're not keeping her,” Dean stated firmly.

 

Sam shuffled closer. “Where did you even get her?” he asked, ducking down and moving to pet her.

She didn't allow it. The moment Sam reached out towards her, she bolted and placed herself behind Dean's legs, pressing into them and shivering. Dean frowned and turned to eye her.

 

“She's a little skittish, I guess. And some douchebags left her at the Home Depot in the fucking storm with a sign saying _‘free puppy’_ \- just left her there; she was soaked,” Dean explained, leaning down and sliding the bowl in front of her.

 

“What's her name?” Sam asked, bouncing back up and rocking on his feet, smiling widely.

 

“We're not naming her, because we're not keeping her. When the storm is over, we're taking her to a shelter,” Dean told Sam seriously, narrowing his eyes.

 

“Oh, come on, Dean. She likes you.”

 

Sure enough, she was slowly drinking her water, and between each drink, she'd pause to look up at Dean with obvious adoration. Dean scowled and pinned Sam with a hard look.

 

“No.”

 

“Alright,”  Sam said, raising his hands in surrender, “but you're telling Cas.”

 

“I-”

 

“Tell me what?” Cas asked, cutting Dean off as he stepped in the room. He was looking down at his phone and not paying attention.

 

“That Dean brought home a puppy and he is planning on getting rid of her after the storm,” Sam said quickly.

 

“Sam!” Dean blurted.

 

But it was far too late. Cas’ head snapped up and his eyes landed on the dog almost immediately. Something soft crossed his face, and Dean groaned quietly.

 

“Oh,” Cas whispered softly, “she's beautiful.”

 

“We. Are. _Not._ Keeping. Her.” Dean emphasized each word by jutting a finger between each of them.

 

“Why is she here then?” Cas challenged with a frown, slowly approaching her.

 

“She was abandoned in the storm and I couldn't just leave her. After it's over, I'm taking her to a shelter.”

 

Cas frowned at Dean before crouching down to try to pet her. Again, she skittered back and hid behind Dean, her cold nose pressing into his ankle as she shivered. “She's not going to let us anywhere near her,” he announced, standing back up.

 

“Yeah, Dean, she only trusts you right now, so you have to take care of her.” Sam told him, arching an eyebrow.

 

Dean rolled his eyes. “I took care of your scrawny ass; I can take care of a dog.”

 

“She looks pretty young, maybe a couple of months old. Probably eats soft food. If I'm not mistaken, she's a pitbull too,” Sam hummed, tilting his head to stare at the dog who was still firmly planted behind Dean's legs.

 

Dean scoffed. “She's a mutt.”

 

“She is wonderful,” Cas murmured, bright eyes tracking her every movement. “However, she is very cold and probably hungry.”

 

“Yeah, yeah, I'll handle it,” Dean muttered, leaning down and scooping her up in his arms.

 

“Okay, that is absolutely adorable. I need a picture,” Sam said with a grin.

 

“Bite me,” Dean growled and shoved his way past them, moving to the bathroom.

  


* * *

 

  


Dean expected the dog to be a lot more trouble than what she was being.

 

In the bath, she didn't really move and allowed him to scrub her with dawn and rinse her with warm water. Through the whole process, she just stared up at him with ridiculously sad eyes and a wagging tail. Dean couldn't help but be extra gentle with her because it seemed as if she wasn't treated right ever before.

 

After her bath, Dean dried her off with a towel and wrapped her up in a fresh one until she stopped shivering. She napped on him while he watched TV, and when she woke up, she started moving all over his lap. He took her outside and let her do her business. Somehow, even in the downpour, she managed to only get mildly wet, at best.

 

Then, it was just a matter of feeding her. They had some leftover meatloaf, and Dean warmed it up for her. She went at it like she assumed it was her last meal. And she didn't even growl when he grabbed her and urged her to slow down; she didn't slow down and ate it all.

 

Dean let her wander after that. Or rather, he tried. But she just stayed at his side the whole time. When he was sitting, she was lying at his feet. When he was moving, she was right at his side, nearly tripping him with every step.

 

Anytime Sam or Cas attempted to get near her, she would hide by Dean and wouldn't move away from him until they backed off. It was mildly concerning, but Dean tried not to think about it. After all, she'd be gone in a few days. As the night wore on and Dean grew tired, he took her out one last time. She ran off and came back a few moments later, a splattering of rain clinging to her short hair. Then, it was the matter of where she was going to sleep.

 

“You are not sleeping in my room,” Dean declared, standing in front of his door and staring down at the dog sitting patiently at his side. She just wagged her tail, seemingly pleased he was addressing her.

 

“Dean, that's not fair. You can't just shut her out; you're all she has right now,” Sam told him, leaning against the door of his room.

 

Dean shot a glare at Sam until he went in his room with a stupid grin on his face. Then, he looked down into the eyes of the dog who refused to leave his side. She stared up at him, tail swiping across the floor, eyes wide and unblinkingly fixed on him.

 

“Fine,” he whispered, “but you're not getting on my damn bed. Over my dead body.”

 

Dean let her in and crawled into bed, doing his best to ignore her sitting patiently at the side of his bed, obviously waiting to be put up there. After a few moments of him not lifting her up, she placed her paws on the edge of his bed at stared at him in what he could only perceive as pleading. He glared at her.

 

“No,” he snapped.

 

She tilted her head and a small whine keened from her throat. Dean gritted his teeth and turned over. He waited, and after a few more whines, he felt her weight leave the bed.

 

Pleased, Dean drifted off to sleep peacefully.

 

Until about two in the morning when the bunker trembled with the shock of a rough storm. Dean woke to pathetic whining and paws scratching at his sheets. Half ass asleep, Dean grunted and pulled her onto the bed. She pressed into his side, tucking her cold nose into the crease of his neck, settling down almost immediately.

 

“You pain in my ass,” Dean muttered groggily before drifting back off to sleep.

  


* * *

 

  


Dean woke up to a tongue in his ear. In his half-asleep state, that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. But as he started waking up, he realized what exactly was happening to him.

 

“Fuck!”

 

The dog gave a yelp of surprise, clearly taken by surprise in getting caught. She delved under the cover, whimpering loudly and shoving her head under his ass, trying desperately to burrow underneath him. He growled and rolled off the bed, snatching back the covers and narrowing his eyes at her; she simply laid with her head between her paws, eyes wide, whines gone, tail wagging.

 

“Now listen here,” he told her, pointing a finger at her and glaring, “we're gonna have to talk about what kinda bed partner you are. I was a dog once; I know exactly what the fuck is goin’ on in your mind.”

 

At no point in his ranting did he come across as playful, he was sure, but she didn't get the memo. Her hind legs pushed her butt into the air, her tail wagging faster and faster, and she launched herself forward to latch onto his finger. Her teeth weren't sharp enough to hurt, and the force behind her jaws were nothing compared to what they would be. But he yanked his finger back all the same.

 

“Goddammit, you fucking-”

 

“Dean?”

 

The door peeled open, Cas’ head poking in warily to take in the scene, and Dean realized he probably looked like a fucking idiot. Here he was, standing in nothing but a t-shirt and boxers, arguing with a fucking puppy. He dropped his hand, cheeks heating up, and stood up straight.

 

“Hey, Cas, what's up?” he asked as casually as possible.

 

“I heard yelling,” Cas told him. “I was concerned.”

 

Dean cleared his throat. “Nothing to worry about. The storm let up yet?”

 

“Not quite. How is she this morning?”

 

“She's a dog, Cas. You never ask how _I_ am in the morning. What makes her so special?”

 

Cas narrowed his eyes at him, stepping fully into the room. “She is the equivalent to an infant; you are _not…_ well, not usually.”

 

The puppy whined as Cas stepped closer to the edge of the bed, her stomach lowering as her tail tucked underneath her. Immediately, he stopped approaching and blinked rapidly, sending a pleading look at Dean. Not that he'd ever admit to _anyone,_ but there was something endearing about Cas being absolutely capsized over a fucking puppy.

 

Huffing, Dean put one knee on the bed and patted the sheets, getting her attention. Her tail immediately started wagging as she focused on him, and she crawled slowly over to him.

 

“That's it,” he soothed. “The big bad angel won't hurt you. He's an alright guy, I swear.”

 

Cas huffed.

 

With as much coaxing as he could produce, he managed to get her to shuffle down the bed closer to Cas. She kept throwing him cautious glances, but Dean's fingers swiping across the bed provided much distraction. Before long, she was close enough for Cas to touch her, and Dean jerked his head pointedly. Carefully, Cas lowered a hand and placed it flat on the bed, seemingly holding his breath.

 

The puppy was not interested in his hand at all.

 

Rolling his eyes, Dean dragged his fingers over to Cas’ and let them bump into each other. She inched her way closer, nose twitching as she sniffed at the addition of fingers. Doing his absolute best not to think about it too much, he covered Cas’ hand with his own, holding it there for a moment.

 

She lifted her head, staring at the hand draping over the other, and very slowly, she tilted her head.

 

Dean snorted. “Oh god, she's channeling you.”

 

“Shut up,” Cas replied through clenched teeth.

 

Dean sighed and tried a different tactic, moving his hand away and shoving it under Cas’. Immediately, the puppy gave a yip and dived closer, all worries forgotten as she tried to unearth Dean's hand. She nosed her way under Cas’ hand, licking Dean's excitedly, tail thumping on the bed. Gently, Cas stroked her head.

 

She didn't even notice.

 

“See,” Dean teased, letting her lick his hand, “wasn't so bad, was it? Told ya he was an okay dude.”

 

“You like her,” Cas murmured, still petting her head gently, smiling slightly.

 

“No, you just _want_ me to like her. Dude, I am literally watching you fall in love before my very eyes. Remember, I'm taking her to a shelter, so stop getting attached,” Dean told him sternly.

 

Cas turned a soft look at him, eyes wide and stupidly blue. “But… look at her.”

 

 _Jesus fuck,_ Dean thought weakly.

 

“Not my problem,” Dean muttered, averting his eyes so he could breathe. “Babies are cute too, but we can't exactly have one of those lying around.”

 

“Dogs are very loyal, Dean. In fact, they're one of the only creatures on this earth to-”

 

“Nope, no, don't wanna hear it.”

 

Cas squinted at him, lips pressing in a thin line. He defiantly turned away and dropped to his knees, getting eye-level with the puppy. “Such a magnificent animal,” he praised, drawing her soft gaze. “Led entirely by emotions, yet not obtaining the ability to discern them in depth. You know only what you feel - experiencing moments and learning in intervals. You are undoubtedly the epitome of simply _being,_ yet you contain boundless love and devotion within you instinctually; you were made for this and know nothing else.”

 

And fuck if Dean didn't watch the dog fall into love with Cas right then and there.

 

Either Cas was a dog-whisperer, or something in his speech managed to be conveyed to her, because she started butting up against his hand and looking up at him with pure love.

 

Dean hadn't related to fucking dog this much since he _was_ one, and that was not a memory he liked to dwell on.

 

“Alright, enough of this love-fest,” Dean broke in gruffly, reaching out to scoop her into his arms and away from Cas. “She probably has to use the bathroom, so I should take her out.”

 

A delicate look of amusement passed over Cas’ face as he cleared his throat. “I'm certain she could use the time to stretch her legs, but I do not believe she will need to relieve herself.”

 

Dean narrowed his eyes. “The fuck does that mean?”

 

“I take it you are unaware of the dog feces on the floor,” Cas told him, blinking.

 

The sound Dean made in response was not entirely human.

  


* * *

 

  


“Stop looking at me like that. I'm not giving you one piece. You _shit_ on my floor.”

 

The puppy tilted her head, tail sliding back and forth on the tile in the kitchen. As always, she was one step behind Dean, sitting on the floor and practically drooling as bacon sizzled in a pan on the stove. Her eyes were fixated on him, watching him anytime he looked over his shoulder at her.

 

“Dude, you can't expect her to hold it; she's a puppy. You're gonna have to set a timer and get up with her through the night,” Sam informed him from the table, watching the puppy in delight.

 

Dean threw him a sharp look. “I am not training her. What's the point? She'll be gone in a like two days anyway. Not gonna waste the effort.”

 

“Fine, you deal with the puppy crap all over your floor until then,” Sam said casually, shrugging.

 

“Sam has a point,” Cas piped up from where he was sitting on the floor, legs spread wide, hands flat on the floor as he tried to get the puppy to come to him.

 

“Jesus, get the fuck up,” Dean snapped at him, rolling his eyes. “She licks you _one_ time and you think it means you're besties.”

 

Cas leveled him with a flat look. “Not to worry, Dean, you're my only bestie.”

 

Sam snorted into the eggwhites he'd made, ducking his head to hide his grin when Dean cut his eyes at him. A whine drew his eyes to the puppy. She gave a little dance, hopping on her paws and licking her lips, imploring eyes _begging._

 

“No, you'll get dog food when Sam finishes his breakfast and goes to get it,” Dean said, pointing at her. “Maybe you'll think twice about shitting on my floor when you want some bacon, huh?”

 

“One piece can't hurt, Dean,” Cas murmured, making him turn to look. His eyes were wide and pleading, face open and soft.

 

Dean scowled. “I've lived with Sam for years, Cas; I know the puppy-dog eyes when I see them. I'm not falling for that from either of you. Try again.”

 

“Dean, come on,” Sam said, drawing his gaze next.

 

Three pairs of pleading eyes watched him, all pressing him to give the puppy a nibble of bacon. Which, that was fucking _ridiculous,_ but he crumbled under their team effort. Scoffing in self disgust, Dean tore a bacon into pieces and bent down, slowly feeding the eager puppy the small bites. She ate them eagerly, chewing them down, and once she was done, she stared up at him like he was the best thing she'd ever encountered.

 

He couldn't help it; she was just so fucking _cute,_ it was killing him. Helpless to her adoration, he gave her a pat on the head affectionately.

 

Sam gave a pleased hum. “I'm gonna brave the weather to get the food for her. Cas, you wanna come with me?”

 

Cas stood up smoothly from the floor. “Yes.”

 

Dean popped up from his crouch with less ease than Cas and threw his hands in the air. “Sure, you'll head out in the rain to go get shit for the _dog,_ but when a pipe needs fixing… no one wants to go anywhere.”

 

“Speaking of, you still haven't fixed that,” Sam told him, already heading out the door.

 

“You should probably do that,” Cas told him, making it sound like a suggestion, though it wasn't.

 

“Yes, dear,” Dean muttered sarcastically.

 

“We will return shortly,” Cas replied distractedly, following Sam out without a second look.

 

Dean looked down; the puppy watched him with a sweet expression, clearly waiting for more bacon.

 

“Can you believe I'm in love with that asshole? Look at how he talks to me. I could do better, right?”

 

Her head lowered to the tile, perched on her paws, and she simply looked at him doubtfully.

 

“Yeah, you're right. There ain't no better than him, but don't tell him that, okay?”

 

She blinked at him, and he took that as a yes. For her compliance, he dropped her another piece of bacon, lips twitching when she slid on the tile as she dived for it. Turning back to his breakfast, he sighed as he waited for the idiot he was stupid for and his brother to get back.

  
  


* * *

 

  


Dean thanked all his lucky stars that Sam and Cas were not at home to witness this.

 

The busted pipe was located in the shower-room, under the sink. Fortunately, he had found the leak quickly and made sure it wouldn't flood with some caulking, but that was just a temporary fix. So, he situated himself on the floor to get to work on repairing it fully, lying on his back with his face under the busted pipe.

 

The repair would probably go a lot easier if the fucking puppy wasn't trying to climb under the sink with him and sit on his face.

 

“Fuck,” he said, not for the first time. “You little shit, what did I _just_ say? Stay out there!”

 

He grabbed her little body and pushed it out of the cabinet, wincing when her nails dug into the skin of his arm. As soon as he put her down by his waist, she was stumbling over his chest to try and get back in there with him.

 

With a growl, he slammed the knife he held down beside his head and grabbed her with both hands, lifting her up. He held his head up and drew her close to his face to glare at her. She dangled limpy in his grasp, tail wagging slowly.

 

“What? Do you just wanna see my face or something? Why can't you just stay out there? Are you _trying_ to be a pain in my ass?”

 

Her answer was trying to stick her tongue down his throat with enthusiasm.

 

Sputtering, Dean jerked his head back, knocking it into the pipe behind his head with a resounding thunk. She wriggled in his grasp, and he let her go as he lifted both hands to cradle his sore head. She landed on his chest and settled there immediately, sitting on her haunches and watching him.

 

Dean glared at her. “Are you fucking serious? Jesus, you're an asshole, did you know that?”

 

Groaning, Dean settled his head back and reached for the knife cautiously, waiting for her to sail into the cabinet. Instead, she stayed exactly where she was, apparently content now that she could see his face. Dumb dog.

 

He went to work, reaching up to scrape the hardened caulking off the broken seam. It crumbled in pieces, coming apart at his easy curling of the knife. The puppy wriggled on his chest.

 

“Watch yourself,” he grumbled half-heartedly. “I know other ways of using a knife.”

 

That was a terrible thing to say, but he knew it wouldn't affect her any, plus he wouldn't _actually_ do anything nefarious. Matter of fact, Dean could probably tell her all the horrible things he'd ever done in his life and she wouldn't care.

 

Dean started unscrewing the pipe. “It's true, actually. I've done some shitty things with a knife, done even more without it.”

 

Her tail still bumped into his bent legs, pleased he was talking to her.

 

“I was in hell a long time ago. Forty years of using various equipment. I used to rip people apart with my bare hands, but I could make _art_ with my knife. It was like carving wood, except a lot easier and with much more screaming. Fucked up, isn't it?”

 

There was silence, but the tail picked up in earnest. Dean breathed a heavy sigh, dropping his tired arms, staring up at the pipes above him. He was pretty sure his chest should be hurting, considering the dark turn his thoughts had taken, but the weight of the puppy there was weirdly reassuring.

 

“Sometimes I think I'm always going to be the guy who knows how to hurt,” he murmured. “I mean, I was _literally_ a demon. At what point am I more monster than a man?”

 

The puppy suddenly started licking his shirt, making him jerk his head up. Her eyes flicked up to look at him, pink tongue frozen in the act. When he arched an eyebrow, she pulled her tongue back into her mouth and stared at him, paws folding over the wet spot like she could hide it. Dean let his head thunk back down under the pipes.

 

“I don't know, girl, I just think there are things I'm never gonna escape, you know?” Dean moved one hand down to pat her head, making her tail hit his legs rapidly as it wagged faster. “Guess that's the point, isn't it? I did shit - some of it wasn't my fault, some of it was - but it's my baggage now either way. What do you think? Am I always gonna be a sorry sack of shit, or is there hope for me yet?”

 

He lifted his head yet again, reaching under to scratch lightly at her chin. She tucked her head down, licking at his wrist, eyes watching him with nothing but love.

 

Of course _she_ would love him; she was just a fucking dog. What the hell did dogs know anyway?

 

“Fuck, I'm losing my goddamn mind,” he declared, pulling his hand back to start working. “Just telling a dog all my shit, like that makes any sense.”

 

The puppy started licking his shirt again, and he just sighed and fixed the pipe, planning to change his shirt later. Whatever.

  


* * *

 

  


Dean was making sounds that weren't exactly human a lot ever since he brought that fucking dog home. He was again, mouth hanging open as Sam pulled out yet _another_ toy from his bag.

 

“And this one helps with teething, because she definitely _will_ attack our shoes. Look, it squeaks!” Sam squeezed the toy to prove his point.

 

The noise erupted from Dean's mouth again.

 

“We also got her a leash,” Cas announced in a pleased fashion, drawing a yellow leash from the bag like it was made of gold. “For walking her,” he clarified when Dean simply stared at him.

 

Annoyance rippled through Dean, and he sliced a hand through the air, taking their pleased expressions with it. “What part of _we are not keeping the dog_ did you two not fucking understand? She will literally be gone in three days!”

 

“You said two days earlier,” Cas pointed out.

 

Sam pursed his lips for a moment. “Okay, hear me out. This could be a good thing, Dean! We _could_ keep her if we wanted to.”

 

“And how does that make _any_ sense? Next time we get a case, what are we supposed to do?”

 

“Take her.”

 

“Where will we put her?”

 

“Well, she can stay with us until we actually have to handle any monsters. When we fight, we can just leave her in the car.”

 

Dean stared at Sam. “You want _me_ to leave a dog in Baby while we fight monsters? Are you… serious?”

 

“If we have to. We can leave the windows down and keep water in there for her, or a heater if it's cold. Oh, we could even get her a doggy bed!”

 

“Sam… even if I would do something like that, which I _won't,_ the hotels we stay in won't let a dog in!”

 

“Okay, sure, but I could forge some papers, have her registered as a support animal. We could even her one of those vests. Cas and I were talking-”

 

“Plotting-”

 

“- _talking,_ and we think it would be nice! I mean, morally… it's not a good thing to do, but we're not exactly the kings of good moral choices.” Sam winced and shrugged. “The point is, they can't refuse her if she's a support animal.”

 

“She could be hurt.”

 

Cas tutted. “We can tie her up, or even leave her with Jody and the girls if things get too hectic.”

 

“Why don't we just _give_ her to Jody and the girls? I'm sure they would love having her.”

 

“But she's ours, Dean.”

 

“More to the point, she'd be good for all of us,” Sam told him. “I've been begging for a dog for literal _years,_ you know that. This is, like… fate.”

 

“Well,” Cas began.

 

“Don't,” Sam cut him off sharply, jerking his head from side to side with wide eyes.

 

Dean crossed his arms, refusing to look down at his ankle where the puppy was currently sitting at, chewing on the little ball Sam had thrown at her as soon as he'd walked in. “Well, I'm glad you two got this all figured out,” he snipped. “Too fucking bad that we are not keeping her!”

 

“Dean, why are you being so difficult?” Cas asked with narrowed eyes.

 

Dean's eyes doubled in size, his hands jerking out in stunted motions. “Me? _Me?_ I'm the one- you know what? _No._ I'm not doing this.”

 

With that, Dean turned on his heel and marched all the way to his room. The ball bounced on the floor, abandoned, and the puppy rushed after him, nearly tripping over her own paws. He had enough mind to let her slip through the door before he slammed it shut, stomping across the room and throwing himself on his memory foam mattress.

 

When her head popped over the side, watching him, he simply reached down and scooped her up, depositing her on his chest.

 

Dean stroked her and glared at the ceiling.

  


* * *

 

 

A day passed. The rain finally stopped. Cas and Sam begged for Dean to keep her there. He left the room whenever they brought it up, so they stopped talking about it altogether.

 

Day two came and went. The sun shined outside, perfect for driving a dog to a shelter. Cas and Sam carefully did not say anything. Dean continued to keep the toys away from the puppy.

 

Day three arrived and passed in tension. Baby's keys went missing, but Dean didn't notice; he made no move to leave the bunker. Cas and Sam hesitantly started complaining about the fact that the toys they bought weren't being put to good use. When they started giving them to the puppy, Dean acted as if he didn't notice.

 

Day four passed, then five, then a week, then two.

 

Dean named her Lily by complete accident. She answered to _little shit_ way too much for comfort, so he shortened it to the most normal name he could think of. Lily was the result, and it mostly sounded the same, so she came when he called it out.

 

Over time, Lily had taken to branching out. At first, she'd simply spent more time with a besotted Cas, then she worked her way to Sam, who looked as if he could cry the first time she'd settled in his lap and stayed put. After that, she took to casually poking around the rooms, but she never really stayed in ones that they didn't frequent.

 

Two bowls had a permanent spot on the floor in the kitchen, one full of water, the other ready to hold the healthy food Sam bought her to make her shit more solid and regular.

 

Lily continued to sleep in Dean's room, pressed against his neck, and she almost always woke him up by sticking her tongue in his ear. Sam took her on his jogs in the morning, excited to have a new running partner. Cas curled up with her on the couch in the library when he read, gently petting her between turning the pages.

 

And fuck it all, she became part of the family.

 

Dean hadn't exactly meant for it to happen. He seriously had all intentions of taking her to a shelter, or even trying to get the local bartender to take her; he'd most definitely give her a good home. But somehow, the little shit had wiggled her way into his heart and he just… _couldn't._

 

It had to have been somewhere between the looks of undying devotion or the somehow-not-one-sided conversations he had with her.

 

Dean could tell Lily pretty much anything that crossed his mind or haunted his nightmares, and her look of love never dimmed. He'd told her of the horrible things he'd done, of the horrible things he'd been through, usually in the dead of night when she was burying her cold nose into his neck. When his voice would grow rough from raw emotion, or a traitorous tears would fall, Lily would lick his skin and press into his hand when he would pet her. Never, not once, did she tuck tail and run.

 

Everyone actively did not mention how she'd become a permanent part of their lives; for that, Dean was embarrassingly grateful.

 

Then came the day they found a hunt.

 

It was a three days ride there and back, and Dean _really_ wanted to go. He'd been itching to get out of the bunker, fingers twitching with the need to get out and do _something._ They gathered all the details, packed their things, and simply stared at Lily as she gazed up at them from beside Dean's feet.

 

“We'll have to stop to let her use the bathroom,” Cas said, fingering his duffle with averted eyes.

 

Dean sighed. “Fine, but you're sitting up front to keep her occupied. She likes you better than Sam.”

 

“Hey!” Sam shouted, offended. He dipped down to pet Lily, voice cooing. “That's not true, is it? No, it's not, good girl!”

 

Cas moved around to the passenger side and Lily immediately broke free from Sam's praise to go after him. Dean smirked when Sam scowled at him.

 

The three day ride was not as horrible as Dean expected it to be. Lily rotated between sitting up front with Cas or staying in the back with Sam. When Dean was too tired to make out much of the road, he'd switched with Sam, letting him take the wheel and splaying out in the back. He'd only been there for a solid ten seconds before Lily's head had popped over the front seat, whining and tilting her head. He'd tugged her over, sitting her on his chest, knowing that was her favorite spot.

 

Lily was growing. Dean would play with her skin, as if giving her massages, and there was a dreadful amount of room for her to grow into. He knew she was going to get much bigger; her paws had already doubled in size, and she frequently tripped over them. But fuck, he was doing his best not to think about it.

 

When he'd woken up to tongue in his ear - a routine at this point - he barely even grumbled. Dean sat up with a yawn, pushing Lily to the seat beside him.

 

“Where we at?” he muttered.

 

Cas was driving. “We have another day to go,” he told him, looking in the rearview. “Sam stopped and let Lily use the restroom and stretch her legs. I was just about to do the same.”

 

“Find a diner or something,” Dean instructed, distractedly waving his fingers as Lily tried to nibble on them, tail thumping loudly against Baby's seats.

 

They pulled off a few minutes later, and Sam woke up almost as soon as Baby shut off. He'd sat up with a jolt, blinking rapidly, and said, “John Wayne Gacy killed thirty-three boys between 1972 and 1978; he was known as the original serial killer clown.”

 

Cas and Dean stared at him.

 

“Alright there, Sammy?” Dean asked lightly, trying to fight the laughter bubbling up in his chest.

 

Sam blinked at them, face heating with embarrassment. “Just a- just a dream. I don't…”

 

“So, what's that like? You like serial killer facts, but are terrified of clowns. That's gotta supply at least half of your nightmares, right?”

 

“Shut up, Dean.”

 

Even Cas was smiling slightly when they piled out of Baby, Dean's loud laughter making Lily hop around in excitement. Cas clipped on her leash, and Sam dug a certified support animal vest out of the trunk; something he'd acquired without Dean knowing. She wiggled at her new restraints but settled when Sam snapped his fingers at her, getting her attention. He tugged her off to let her use the bathroom while Dean and Cas hung back.

 

They stood shoulder to shoulder against the hood of Baby, far closer than they had any right to be. Dean sometimes wondered _why_ Cas continued to stand so close when he clearly knew enough to understand what personal space was all about. He also wondered when it stopped bothering him, making his flesh prickle with the proximity and want that came with Cas’ presence when he was younger; it had formed into comfort and pleasant domesticity over the years, but he couldn't pinpoint _when._

 

Dean didn't ponder too much, choosing instead to enjoy the simple things in his life, like Cas’ shoulder pressed against his. He ignored the disappointment that settled within him Sam brought Lily back over, her tongue lolling out of her mouth as she trotted back towards them. A sigh broke loose when they split apart to head inside, but no one noticed, thankfully.

 

Lily didn't much like new places, so her boundless energy seemed to fade when they entered the diner. She wouldn't leave Dean's side, so he held her leash. As expected, no one mentioned the dog, and they were led to a table without any trouble. Lily flopped down beside Dean's feet and didn't move.

 

Cas smiled at Dean pointedly. “So, this is going well.”

 

“Bite me, Cas.”

 

“We still have to think about what we're going to do when we actually, you know, _hunt,”_ Sam said.

 

“She likes digging when we go outside; maybe she can help us dig up graves,” Dean suggested.

 

The waitress was suddenly there at the table, shooting Dean a wary look. He tried to smile, but she avoided his eyes and focused on Sam and Cas, looking uncertain.

 

“What can I get you?” she asked them, very pointedly _not_ looking at Dean.

 

Sam grinned. “I'll take a water and the spinach and feta cheese omelet, please.”

 

She wrote it down, turning to Cas. “And for you, sir?”

 

“I'll have a coffee, and he will take one as well with the burger supreme with onion rings. No coleslaw, but extra pickles on the side,” Cas told her as if this was very serious business indeed. He leaned forward, giving an awkward smile. “I enjoy sucking on the pickles.”

 

Which, that was true: Dean always got extra pickles for Cas to suck on - he liked the bitter taste and spongy texture - but it wasn't something they _announced._ Dean was just about to put his palm to his face, secondhand embarrassment coursing through him, when the waitress grinned at Cas.

 

“Oh, me too!” she exclaimed. “When I got pregnant with my second, my husband always used to get extra pickles.” She flicked her gaze to Dean, appraising him in a different light that she did moments before; he smiled brightly at her.

 

With that, she walked away, no longer bothered.

 

“We are _not_ using Lily to dig graves,” Sam said, jumping right back in. “Not only is that really unethical, but it's _lazy.”_

 

Dean waved a hand. “And? Who cares? But something could happen, so we won't.”

 

“We should either leave her at the hotel or in the car with proper care,” Cas told them.

 

“Can't leave her at the hotel; she'd probably tear that place apart. And I don't like the idea of tying her up until we get back. Anything could happen, and I don't want her to get stuck anywhere,” Dean muttered, frowning at the table.

 

Before anyone could comment, the waitress was back with two coffees and a water. She smiled as she set them down, digging creamer out of her pocket. Winking, she left them to their discussion.

 

Sam took a sip of his water. “Okay, so we leave her in the car? We should tell Jody where the car is and if we don't check in, she should come get Lily. We can leave her with enough food and water to last until Jody can get there.”

 

“The likelihood of something happening to all three of us is very low, but the contingency plan is necessary. I agree with Sam,” Cas said.

 

“You always agree with Sam.” Dean rolled his eyes, swallowing some of his coffee. “Fine, we will do that. But I _really_ don't like it. Feels a bit… inhumane, if you ask me.”

 

“We don't exactly have a choice. We can't just leave her at the bunker alone. At least in the car, she will have her toys and food and safety.” Sam tapped his fingers against the tabletop. “This is just a trial-run anyway. Maybe we can leave her with the girls when we go on hunts. _Or,_ we can leave her at one of those animal resorts to be pampered until we get back.”

 

Huh. That actually wasn't a bad idea.

 

“Okay,” Dean said reasonably. “We see how this goes, then we decide. But I like the idea of Lily getting a vacation. If we can't, she should get one, shit.”

 

Everyone seemed okay with that idea, so they let it go. Dean was actually thinking about letting Lily stay at a resort when they were hunting _just because._ Hell, she could go to a spa and get fed treats and be trained. It was a nice thought.

 

Dean blinked rapidly, pulling up short.

 

Dear god, he was becoming one of _those_ dog owners.

 

The waitress eventually came out with their food, sitting the plates down in front of them. Dean stared down at his plate in surprise; she'd laid the pickles over each other in the shape of a heart on the edge of the plate. When Dean glanced at her, face heating up, she simply winked at him and jerked her head towards Cas playfully.

 

“Well, you all enjoy that,” she said, pleased.

 

“Thank you,” Sam said, already cutting his omelet into portions with all the focus of a man who hadn't eaten in days - though, Dean knew he'd ate some of the granola he packed before he'd took a nap.

 

Dean coughed and turned the pickles towards Cas, nudging the plate closer to him. “Uh, there you go, Cas,” he mumbled, giving a valiant effort not to look like a fucking idiot.

 

Cas smiled and picked up one of the pickle slices, pushing it into his mouth, chin jumping as he immediately started sucking on it. Dean dropped his eyes and focused on his food, refusing to look up until all the pickles were gone.

 

Sam finished his food before Dean, and Cas drank the rest of his water to rid his mouth of the pickle taste. After Dean finished off his coffee, they headed back to Baby. Sam sat in the passenger seat this time, on his phone with Lily in his lap.

 

Dean met Cas’ eyes in the rearview. “We'll feed her on the same schedule. Just grab her when it's time. Sam packed her food in containers and stuck him in his duffel, but the treats are in mine if you wanna give her any.”

 

“Okay,” Cas said.

 

Dean only drove for another mile before Cas’ hand appeared over the seat, dangling with a treat between his fingers. Lily lapped it from his grip, gentle and careful not to bite. Cas put his chin on the seat directly behind Dean's shoulder, his breath brushing over his neck and cheek. That's how they stayed for a long while, Cas dutifully feeding Lily treats and Dean trying to breathe and focus on the road with Cas hovering behind him.

 

Somehow, he managed not to wreck.

  


* * *

 

  


Everything went off without a hitch.

 

Well, the pack of werewolves held more than usual, and they all ended up a bit more beaten and bloody than they'd planned, but that was normal for them.

 

Dean felt _fantastic,_ scrapes and all. Sure, he was getting older and it put more strain on him, but he didn't think he'd ever get tired of the rush that came with job. The clean up and aftermath could go, for all he cared. And all the bruises and bumps would smart for a bit, but such was life.

 

The clean-up was a rush job. They were all eager to check on Lily and make sure she was okay. They didn't really even take much stock of themselves until they were heading back to Baby.

 

Sam had hit his head _again_ \- the kid really was gonna have head trauma one of these days - but otherwise, he was mostly fine, save for the raw carpet burn he'd received when a werewolf had shoved his face down and dragged him. Cas, more human than angels these days, suffered from a swollen lip and bruised jaw. But the parts of him that were angel, so fleeting lately, sped up the process of healing - his lip was already going down. For his part, Dean was just sore and had a nasty gash over his eyebrow; he'd already slapped a bandage over it to stop the flow of bleeding, not appreciating it getting into his eyes.

 

As always, Cas seemed subdued as they walked away. No one ever talked about it, about the fact that Cas wasn't what he once was. He couldn't heal with a touch anymore, couldn't smite with a grip, couldn't permeate power with every breath he released. It didn't much matter to Sam and Dean; they'd been doing without that for years. But to Cas… it really felt like something to despise.

 

Dean mostly understood it. He supposed it was like him getting older, not being as fast or strong, and the frustration that came with it, the bone-deep worry that one day, it would cost them. It was like that, but on a broader scale.

 

But Dean didn't really care about that.

 

He didn't give two flying fucks whether Cas was an almighty angel or a simple human. Cas was his best friend, regardless. And yeah, it didn't matter to him, _but_ the fact that it mattered to Cas made him wary to broach the subject. What was he supposed to say?

 

Dean wasn't an angel; he never had power that was slowly draining. He was just him, just a regular guy with regular restraints.

 

He wanted to tell Cas that he didn't care either way, that he was still important, no matter what, but that felt underhanded - he didn't want to invalidate what Cas was going through. It was a bitch of a situation, and Dean had no idea what they fuck to say that could possibly help.

 

So, he said nothing.

 

Lily, however, turned out to be a fucking saint when it came to that. As soon as Cas saw her in the car, head popping up as they approached, toy held in her mouth, his face brightened. The toy hit the seat and she absolutely lost her damn _mind._

 

It was endearing how her butt wiggled with the force of her rapid tail. They could hear her barking, nearly falling off the seat as she tumbled around in excitement. They couldn't have been gone for more than thirty minutes, but she was acting like they'd just been reunited after months.

 

Sam beat them to the car and reached in to scoop her wriggling body in his arms. She was whining as she tried to stick her tongue up his nose, tail wagging through the gap of his arms. He gave a laugh and indulged her, letting her lick the side of his face that wasn't sore. Just as she was calming down, he passed her over to Cas.

 

With renewed excitement, she quivered in his arms, shoving her nose right into his chin, trying with all the might in her uncoordinated body to give him _all_ the kisses. Cas beamed down at her, the haunted look gone from his face. He tucked his face into her neck, heaving a deep breath, and just stood there for a moment, breathing her in.

 

The sight did really horrible things to Dean's heart, making it swell thrice its size, and he had to take a moment to collect himself.

 

When Cas offered Lily to him, looking as if it was the last thing he wanted to do, Dean just reached out a gave a pat to her head. “Why don't you keep her in the backseat? I'll start driving us home. Sam, update Jody and let her know she doesn't have to worry.”

 

The relief on Cas’ face was worth the trouble he went through to act like he didn't care about having a moment with Lily. As Sam typed away on his phone, heading to the passenger side, Dean watched Cas crawl into the back, lying on his side with Lily pressed against his chest, her tongue alternating between licking his splayed arm or neck.

 

Again, Dean had to take a moment.

 

They hit the road, the music gently playing through the car. As the adrenaline drained from everyone, they all settled into their own spots. Sam leaned his head against the window and drifted, calm sounds of rainforests and the ocean echoing from his headphones. Dean settled back in his seat, one hand on the wheel, the other resting on the door. He flicked his gaze in the rearview to check on Cas and nearly swerved in the fucking road.

 

Lily was asleep, the very tip of her tongue visible between her jaws. Cas was curled around her, one arm thrown over her body, the other supporting her head. He had his face pressed to the top of her head, eyes closed, little pleased smile on his face. It was, quite possibly, the cutest shit he'd ever seen.

 

If anyone was to ever threaten Lily, Dean would not hesitate to rip them apart. Just for the peace she brought Cas - the peace he couldn't provide - he would not give Lily up for anything in the world.

 

Calmed and full of warmth, Dean pointed them in the direction of home, revving his beloved Baby and grinning into the dark.

  


* * *

 

  


Dean paced, fingers twisting together.

 

Lily gave a little yip, tilting her head in obvious question. He halted in his tracks and put his hands on his hips, releasing a deep breath.

 

“Stop looking at me like that, you keep reminding me of my current problem,” Dean scolded lightly, narrowing his eyes at her.

 

Her response was to stand up in excitement at being addressed, her tail swinging back and forth.

 

Dean threw up his hands. “What am I gonna do? You're making me all soft and shit.”

 

The tail gained speed.

 

Dean opened his mouth to bitch at her when a knock sounded at the door. Cas poked his head in, and Lily immediately freaked out, twisting around on the bed and diving under the cover, only to come up and bark at Cas, her tongue rolling out her mouth. He obliged her excitement, walking in to move over and rub her head, smiling when she took that as a sign to play, going low and launching herself at his hand with a playful growl.

 

“What's up?” Dean asked.

 

Cas looked at him, face still soft. “Sam wants to take Lily to a local dog park. He mentioned something about socializing her.”

 

“Sounds like him.” Dean cleared his throat and lifted a hand to rub at the back of his neck. “That's, uh, actually good. I mean, it might be. For us. Me and you, I mean.”

 

“Okay,” Cas replied simply, eyebrows twitching together in confusion. “I'll just go tell Sam-”

 

“Wait! Um, wait,” Dean blurted, throwing his hands up, making Cas’ eyebrows jump. “What I mean is… while Sam takes Lily, we could go grab a bite.”

 

Cas shrugged. “Sure, Dean. You know I enjoy accompanying you out to the diners.”

 

Dean desperately wanted to hit his head against the wall with a groan. “Okay, yes,” he agreed with a cough, hoping he wasn't blushing like an idiot. “But I mean… just the two of us.”

 

“Well, Sam _will_ be out with Lily, so be will not be able to attend,” Cas agreed slowly, eyes squinting.

 

“Yes, but like… it's gonna just be _us,”_ Dean reiterated, moving a hand between them pointedly.

 

Cas tilted his head. “Are you suffering from a brain injury?” His lips tipped down in worry. “You were hit by that werewolf rather hard. Maybe we should-”

 

“Oh my god,” Dean choked, mortified.

 

“Dean?” Cas asked carefully, that flash of uncertainty crossing his face that said he'd realized he'd misstepped, but wasn't sure how.

 

Dean heaved a sigh and waved a hand. “Nothing, just take Lily to Sam. I'll wait by Baby when you're ready to head out.”

 

“Are you sure that-”

 

“Cas, I am _not_ suffering from brain injury. Just- just _go.”_

 

Cas’ eyes squinted, and with a huff, he grabbed up Lily and stomped out of the room, muttering under his breath. Dean waited for the floor to open up and swallow him whole, because obviously, there was no other place he needed to be. _Jesus._

 

He tried to get a grip as he moved to the garage, perching against Baby and waiting. There _had_ to be something that he could say or do to make his intentions a bit more… clear.

 

This was all Lily's fault.

 

He'd fucked around one too many times and bitched about his everpresent, unrelenting love for Cas to her, and her gentle eyes had coaxed him to do something about it. Dumb fucking idea, now that he thought about it. But the desire hadn't fled, even in the face of his dread, and Dean was teetering on the edge of making a fool of himself or landing in a deep pit of hurt he may not be able to crawl out of.

 

As far as Lily's encouraging eyes and yips of agreement were concerned, Dean should actually make a fucking _effort._

 

Not for the first time, he was asking himself what dogs knew anyway? They were just fucking dogs.

 

Cas eventually walked in the garage, frowning at the small wet spot on the front of his trenchcoat. Looked like Lily had gotten ahold of him too; she had a bit of a licking problem, which had no right being as cute as it was. Dean couldn't help but chuckle, lips curling up, and Cas sent him a bemused look.

 

“Where are we going? Should I change?”

 

“Cas, you haven't changed in around decade, not really. Same getup as usual. If you were in anything less, you'd be naked.”

 

Cas arched an eyebrow and sardonically muttered, “Says the one who wears three layers, one of which consists almost always of plaid.”

 

“What, three layers too much?” Dean grinned and waggled his eyebrows as he yanked open his door, pausing before sliding in. “Make a deal with you. If you lose a layer, so will I.”

 

Cas paused in opening his door, eyes flicking over him in consideration. “Fine,” he said casually. He reached up and shrugged out of his trenchcoat, yanking open the door and tossing it in. “Your turn, I believe.”

 

Dean licked his lips, stomach swooping in the way it did when he was being hit on; really, it was like a really awesome superpower. But it couldn't have been true in this case, so he ignored it. He shoved off his plaid, the blue and pink that Cas usually complemented in passing - hence the reason he'd worn it. He rolled it up and tossed it in the seat on top of the trenchcoat and raised his hands, waggling his eyebrows with a cheeky grin.

 

“Look at us,” Dean teased, “we're practically naked.”

 

“That requires all of our clothes to be removed. We're not quite there,” Cas told him, lips twitching, eyes bright with humor.

 

As Dean blinked, mind providing him with _yet_ like it should have been tacked onto that sentence, Cas slid into the car with a quiet laugh. Dean just shook his head and followed him, cranking the car and pulling them out to the road. He was still grinning, like an idiot, but Cas had that effect on him when he was making jokes. It was a rare occurrence, but when he did it, Dean was nearly taken out by just how fucking _funny_ Cas could be sometimes.

 

Forcing the smile off his face, he glanced at a still pleased Cas. “I'm thinking of the little italian restaurant that you enjoy scraping the sauce off the pasta at. They have nice breadsticks.”

 

“You do like your bread,” Cas commented.

 

Dean rolled his eyes. “It's garlic, shut up. But more importantly, you like it.”

 

“Well… yes,” Cas replied, eyebrows pinching together as he eyed Dean curiously.

 

“Great,” Dean chirped, hoping desperately that Cas couldn't tell just how fucking nervous he was.

 

If he did, he didn't mention it.

 

The rest of the ride passed in comfortable silence. Dean's palms felt sweaty against the steering wheel, and he was struggling to remember the last time he'd felt this goddamn _stupid_ about someone. Jesus, Cassie, maybe? He'd loved Lisa, sure, but he hadn't been gone on her - she was a comfort, relief admist the dark, and he missed her and Ben sometimes. But _Cassie?_ Oh yeah, he'd been a fucking idiot for her.

 

What was it about the Cas-esque people in his life?

 

Though, to be fair, Cas was ranked higher than anyone he'd ever had any sort of feelings for, even Han Solo and Dr. Sexy. Whereas everyone else never stayed, never lasted in the life he lived, Cas _did;_ not only that, he kept fucking coming back.

 

No wonder Dean was fucking head over heels. No one had ever done that before, but Cas? He did it without demanding a damn thing in return, nothing but purpose and a home. Dean _really_ wanted to give him more, but this was the first time he tried.

 

The walk from Baby to the restaurant was a relief. The air helped ease the perpetual heat he could feel following him around. Cas gravitated to his side, like always, and they walked in together. Dean shuffled away from Cas to mutter to the hostess about the reservations he made, because _yes,_ he made reservations - this was a date; he just had to figure out how to get Cas to notice that.

 

Their waiter was a man, which was a nice change of pace, Dean thought. “Look at that,” he told Cas, jerking his head at their waiter as he walked away with their regular order. “You don't see that enough, man. Why can't men be waiters? Do you know how much money I could make? Furthermore, why aren't more women mechanics? Have you ever seen a woman with a puzzle? They're, like, way faster than men, usually. And that's all a car is - a puzzle.”

 

Cas blinked at him. “Why aren't men allowed to be waiters? Why aren't women mechanics? Is this a rule I wasn't aware of?”

 

“I mean, there _are_ those, but it doesn't happen often. People think serving is a woman's industry, don't think women would know their way around a car. A bunch of bullshit, if you ask me.”

 

“I agree.”

 

“Right.” Dean suddenly floundered for something to say, pretty sure he was supposed to compliment Cas. _Come on, Winchester, you are not usually bad at this, what the fuck,_ he berated himself. Taking a deep breath, he plastered on a smile and said, “So, uh, Cas… did it hurt when you fell from heaven?”

 

Why _that_ fell from his fucking lips, he would never know. In all his years of using such a cheesy pick up line, he'd always thought about how stupid it would be to say to an angel. Anna had assured him of that fact when he'd mentioned it to her, asking if it was a tasteless thing to say; she'd told him in no uncertain terms that it was pretty fucking bad.

 

Dean wanted to hit himself in his stupid face. Why, why, _why_ was that the first thing that came to mind?

 

Cas frowned at him. “Yes.”

 

“Shit, I'm sorry, I- I don't know why I said that. Fuck, Cas, that's so fucked up,” Dean blurted, eyes wide, hand flying up to shield his face.

 

“It's okay, Dean. If you're curious, I can explain the process, though I don't think either of us would enjoy it.” Cas pressed his lips into a thin line and glanced away for a moment.

 

“No, let's _not_ talk about that.” Dean looked down at the table, mind racing. “What's your favorite color?”

 

Cas looked back at him, face softening. “Green.”

 

“Oh, that's a good, uh, choice.” Dean felt so fucking _awkward,_ what the fuck. “Sorry, I'm-”

 

“Do you believe in aliens, Dean?”

 

“What?”

 

“Aliens,” Cas repeated, watching him curiously.

 

“I mean, yeah, kinda. Okay, so there was this case, but it turned out to be fairies,” Dean explained, then paused. “You know about fairies, right?”

 

Cas nodded with a grimace. “They're not pleasant, but I've had my experience with them.”

 

“Right, so, there was this case…”

 

Things continued fine after that. The awkwardness abated and fell away. Just like any other time, they sat there and talked about simple bullshit. It was easy, calming. For a moment, Dean forgot all of his worries and just traded laughter with Cas, talking so simply that he barely noticed the time go by. Before long, their waiter brought out their food and refilled their drinks.

 

As Cas meticulously started using his fork to scrape the pasta sauce from the noodles, looking endearingly pleased by the action, Dean fretted over his next move. Not that he was trying to put _moves_ on Cas, because that was just… too much, but he did want to make his intentions clear so Cas could either shut him down or reciprocate.

 

Playing footsie was a pretty normal date-like thing to do, Dean thought. So, he jerked his foot out with the intention of running it up Cas’ leg. Unfortunately, he overshot and slammed the hard tip of his boot straight into Cas’ ankle.

 

“Dean,” Cas huffed, narrowing his eyes.

 

With that as his only warning, Cas shoved his foot forward and kicked Dean back, _hard._

 

Fuck, this was not going well _at all._

 

“Forget it,” Dean snapped, frustrated.

 

Cas stared at him. “Forget _what?”_

 

“Nothing, nothing at all.”

 

The rest of the meal passed in sullen silence. Whatever luck Dean had with his escapades seemed to have escaped him when it really and truly mattered. Cas cleaned off the rest of his pasta, leaving the sauce in the middle of the plate with the noodles in a circle around it. Actually, it was kinda nice, like art, in a way.

 

Dean finished his food and tugged his phone out of his pocket, snapping a picture of Cas’ creation, weirdly proud for some reason. He was grinning, even chuckling a bit, because Cas was fucking adorable. But Cas must have misinterpreted him because he scowled at him.

 

“I do not appreciate you mocking me,” Cas growled, voice lowering in his annoyance.

 

“I wasn't-”

 

“I'm glad you find my “quirks” hilarious.”

 

Dean knew it was a serious moment, and he really wanted to fix his face into something apologetic, but Cas did fucking quotation marks with his fingers, and that was unfairly cute.

 

“Cas, I'm-”

 

“And you're laughing at me again. Fine, I won't be here to watch you be an ass. I'll be in Baby; stay here until you get control of yourself.”

 

And just like that, Cas marched out on their date.

 

Dean leaned back in his seat, mystified, and groaned. How the fuck had it gone so terribly? He was never this fucking bad at these sorts of things. But he now had approximately twenty minutes on the ride home to figure out a way to fix it.

 

The ride back passed too quickly for him to figure out a way to fix anything. Cas sat in the seat, head facing the window, arms folded. He didn't break the silence, and Dean had no idea how to.

 

Maybe this was a sign.

 

When they pulled in the garage and Cas pushed himself violently from the car, Dean couldn't help but want to smooth things over. He hopped out the car and rushed to grab Cas’ arm, tugging him around. It spoke volumes that Cas let him, that he went with the motion, even when they both knew he could've shook him off.

 

“Look, Cas, I'm sorry,” Dean murmured. “I didn't mean for it to get so fucked up back there.”

 

“You _kicked_ me,” Cas stated flatly, narrowing his eyes. “On purpose.”

 

“No, no, I was trying to…”

 

“What?”

 

“Play footsie, Cas. I was trying to play footsie, but I fucked it up,” Dean told him, sighing.

 

Cas blinked at him. “What is _footsie?”_

 

“It's like… you rub your foot up someone's leg. It's a tactic people use when they're trying to- you know what, it's… hard to explain.” Dean shook his head, killing _that_ visual as quickly as possible.

 

“You've been acting strange, Dean.” Cas actually looked a bit worried. “Are you sure-”

 

“I do not have head trauma!” Dean exploded, throwing his hands up.

 

Cas jerked back, affronted. “I was merely concerned about your actions. I just-”

 

“You are not getting this. Cas, I took you on a _date._ I'm trying to be your… boyfriend, partner, lover? Ring a bell?” Dean jerked out his hands, looking at Cas in annoyance. “How are you not getting this? _Helloooo,_ do you compute? Can we be in love, please? _Jesus fucking Christ!”_

 

The outburst was not at all what he'd been looking for when he'd decided to do this - wooing Cas being what this was. But he felt better after he got it out. Well, he did for about two seconds, but Cas’ face didn't so much as twitch, and that was concerning.

 

“Or… not. I mean, you don't have to, uh- if you don't, you know, _return_ the-”

 

Cas reached up and covered Dean's mouth with one hand, raising his other to lift a finger in the universal _wait_ gesture. Dean froze, breath catching in his chest, and for the first time on his whole endeavor, he _finally_ shut his mouth and held his tongue to see what would happen.

 

Cas opened his mouth to say something, and Dean waited with a bated breath, terrified and excited to hear it in equal measure. But Cas never got to speak, because there was a sudden bark, and Lily came bounding in the room excitedly. She barreled straight for them, very much excited to see them, and in her joy, she didn't even slow down.

 

Dean felt the impact to the back of his legs as she connected with all the energy her growing body could contain. There was no use for it; he didn't have a choice in the matter. The force of the hit and gravity played against him, making him stumble straight into Cas’ waiting arms.

 

Cas dropped his hand from Dean's mouth to catch him, blinking rapidly at the swift change of placement. They stayed frozen like that for a moment, Dean staring at Cas in surprise, Cas curling his arms around Dean.

 

Dean assumed that Cas thought actions spoke louder than words, because without any explanation at all, he moved forward and pressed a chaste kiss to Dean's lips. It was a barely there pressure, warm and soft, and then it was gone. Just like that.

 

“I prefer partner,” Cas told him softly, “if I get a vote.”

 

Dean swallowed. “Right, yeah, I mean… partner works for me.”

 

Cas smiled. “Good.”

 

“Could you maybe do that again?” Dean asked sheepishly, eyes flicking down to Cas’ lips eagerly, warmth unfurling low in his abdomen.

 

Cas didn't answer him with words, but as he curled into Cas with a sigh, fingers gripping tight, he found he didn't mind at all.

  


* * *

 

  


Sam was scarred for life after walking into the garage at Lily's insistent barking, only to find her being ignored by Dean and Cas, who were wrapped up in each other… _making out like fucking teenagers,_ as he put it.

 

But Dean knew he was happy for them. He could tell by the way his face softened at the sight of their fingers linked together. And Sam definitely enjoyed the retelling of The Worst Date There Ever Was, as Dean had dubbed it from endless embarrassment.

 

Lily sure as hell loved the new dynamic, for the most part. She had Dean _and_ Cas to wake up with her tongue in their ear now, so she barely ever stopped wagging her tail. She was a bit upset the first time they had her sleep with Sam because they had… plans, but she got over that as soon as she figured out she could borrow her head under his hair and he never moved her away.

 

And as she continued to grow, to the point she couldn't fit on Dean's chest anymore, they figured out a routine. When they went on hunts, she went to the spa - which she _loved_ \- and they picked her back up on the way home. Otherwise, she stayed with them at the bunker, occasionally visiting with Jody and the girls - Donna was undoubtedly her favorite.

 

Dean marveled at his life on one cold, dreary Monday morning, curled up in the bed with Lily and Cas. He glanced down at the now-large dog pressed between them, licking Cas’ ear to try and wake him. Cas could sleep, but it was a voluntary action, one he did more often now that he had someone to sleep beside. Secretly, Dean thought he just enjoyed waking up to Lily giving him kisses, and Dean too of course.

 

Dean poked Lily, drawing her attention. “This is all your fault,” he told her fondly.

 

Her response was to try and acquaint her tongue with Dean's tonsils, which resulted in a sound that was not entirely human escaping him as he jerked back.

 

“Goddammit, we talked about this!”

  


* * *

 

  


Lily loved her humans. They were strange creatures, and sometimes they went away, but they always came back. The one called Sam always gave her the best belly rubs, and he took her for all her walks, which she loved a lot. The one called Cas talked to her with a very nice voice; she understood him a bit more because he was on a different frequency than her other humans. The one called Dean kept her safe, gave her a home, told her all his secrets.

 

Lily felt a lot, all the time, and she wanted her humans to be happy. They seemed better the more she stayed, so maybe she helped them as much as they helped her.

 

And the one called Dean really liked the one called Cas, which she knew because he told her. She thought they just needed to lick each other to be happy, and with some playful guiding, they eventually did beside the metal machine that gave her all her favorite rides. Now they licked each other all the time, which was good, she thought.

 

She barely remembered her time before the one called Dean saved her from the cold, wet stuff that fell from the sky. She really didn't want to; what she had now was definitely better anyway.

 

Yes, Lily loved her humans very much, and they deserved all the kisses. The one called Dean didn't always agree, but that was okay, because he never made her go away if she did it.

 

The one called Cas looked down at where she was draped over the one called Dean, still trying to fit on his chest. He reached out and scratched behind her ears - her favorite spot! - and smiled at her.

 

Leaning down to press his lips to her nose, looking into her eyes, he whispered, “Thank you.”

 

She answered by licking one long stripe up his face. “You're welcome, I love you, all of you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed that as much as I enjoyed writing it! Thank you so much for reading it. Don't hesitate to drop off some kudos and leave a comment; I do so enjoy them. 
> 
> Ta! 
> 
> -SOBS


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